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yeoman

(Encyclopedia)yeoman yōˈmən [key], class in English society. The term has always been ill-defined, but generally it means a freeholder of a lower status than gentleman who cultivates his own land. With the break...

Mastroianni, Marcello

(Encyclopedia)Mastroianni, Marcello märchĕlˈlō mästrōyänˈnē [key], 1924–96, Italian movie actor, b. Fontana Liri, Italy. Known for his striking good looks and his world-weary introspective air, he was di...

sable

(Encyclopedia)sable, species of marten, Martes zibellina, found in Siberia, N European Russia, and N Finland. This carnivorous mammal is highly valued for its thick, soft fur, which is dark brown or black, sometime...

tourniquet

(Encyclopedia)tourniquet to͝orˈnĭkĕt, –kā, tûrˈ– [key], compression device used to cut off the flow of blood to a part of the body, most often an arm or leg. It may be a special surgical instrument, a ru...

Clark, Kenneth Bancroft

(Encyclopedia)Clark, Kenneth Bancroft, 1914–2005, American psychologist and educator, b. Panama Canal Zone, grad. Howard (B.A., 1935) and Columbia (Ph.D., 1940). Clark taught psychology at Howard (1937–38) and ...

fer-de-lance

(Encyclopedia)fer-de-lance fĕrˌ-də-lănsˈ [key], highly poisonous snake, Bothrops atrox, found in tropical South America and the West Indies. A pit viper, related to the bushmaster and the rattlesnake, it has h...

privet

(Encyclopedia)privet prĭvˈĭt [key], any plant of the genus Ligustrum, Old World shrubs or small trees of the family Oleaceae (olive family), some of which are common as hedge plants. Privet hedges are popular fo...

flint, mineral

(Encyclopedia)flint, variety of quartz that commonly occurs in rounded nodules and whose crystal structure is not visible to the naked eye. Flint is dark gray, smoky brown, or black in color; pale gray flint is cal...

Brittany spaniel

(Encyclopedia)Brittany spaniel, breed of medium-sized sporting dog whose origins may be traced back hundreds of years to France and Spain. It stands about 19 in. (48.3 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 30...

agouti

(Encyclopedia)agouti əgo͞oˈtē [key], name applied to rabbit-sized rodents of the genus Dasyprocta, found in Central and South America and in the West Indies. They have slender limbs with five front and three hi...